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What is a Rodent?

mouse Controlrat controlsquirrek control






Other members who could be confused with rodents:  

rabbit and hares

Coming from the Latin word rodere, rodent means 'to gnaw'.  A rodent is usually classified as a small furry mammal whose incisors keep growing in each jaw. Among more than 2,000 species, popular rodents are mice, rats, hamsters, and guinea pigs, which are commonly kept as pets. Rodents also include beavers, muskrats, porcupines, woodchucks, chipmunks, squirrels, prairie dogs, marmots etc.

Rodents have to wear their continuously-growing incisors down to prevent them from reaching their skulls by gnawing. Most eat seeds or other plant materials, but some have more varied diets. For instance, a beaver likes gnawing on trees while a squirrel gnaws on hard nuts. A rat or mouse can gnaw through many kinds of walls.

Rodent infestations cause thousands of pounds worth of damage due to health problems, the destruction of materials and contamination. Rat bites are well-known for being extremely painful and infectious. Indeed, some rodents are carriers of human diseases such as bubonic plague and typhus. Being able to gnaw on everything, rodents can cause major structural damage. A squirrel, for example, can chew on wood siding, doors, sheds, barns and patio furniture. Moreover, rodents' contamination can be easily seen through soiling belongings and surfaces with their faeces and urine. Such contamination can lead to unhealthy conditions that could be hard to deal with. Therefore, consulting a professional pest control expert to avoid such damage is highly recommended because they have the tools and techniques to keep your home rodent-free. This can help save time, money and effort.